Viloria, Segura easily make weight; promise knockouts

Ryan Songalia

December 10, 2011

WBO flyweight champion Brian Viloria and Giovani Segura both checked in at the 112 pound weight limit for tomorrow’s world title fight at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The fight will be aired by GMA Channel 7 at 9 a.m. in the Philippines and on pay-per-view throughout the United States.

Neither Viloria, 19-3 (16 KO), of Waipahu, Hawaii or Segura, 28-1 (24 KO), of Bell, Calif., appeared drained on the scales, which is a testament to the added breathing room afforded by their recent ascents from the 108 pound division.

“Mentally, it gives you a great advantage,” said the former two-time 108 pound champion Viloria, 31, who had already been at the 112 limit by Monday morning. “You don’t have to worry about if you’re going to hit the weight. I feel like any other day. I had a little something to eat this morning. I was under the weight so I figure, why should I be too under?”

The 2000 US Olympic boxer begged to differ, countering that his boxer-puncher style would be Segura’s bane.

“He can say what he wants, but I think I have a different circumstance in mind, and that’s me knocking him out,” said Viloria. “I can’t see any way that he can beat me with the type of style that I have. There’s no way in the world that he’s going to put me on my back. I think it’s going to be the other way around.

“It’s going to be a really tough fight. Segura’s gonna come out for war, I’m going to come out for war. That’s what boxing is supposed to be all about, giving a great show. May the best man win. Twenty-four hours from now, I’m going to be raising my belt as the victor and that’s what I’ve put in my mind. All the training and the hard work is already done, now it’s my time to show how it’s done.”

Both Segura and Viloria are known as fast starters, with Segura having 11 first round knockouts to his credit to Viloria’s four.

Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and contributes to GMA News and the Filipino Reporter newspaper in New York City. He is also a member of The Ring ratings panel. He can be reached at ryan@ryansongalia.com. An archive of his work can be found at www.ryansongalia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @RyanSongalia.